In drop-on-demand printing, partially cured ink and other debris can accumulate on the print head nozzle plate (the surface of the print head that has a series of openings through which ink passes) and adversely affect the ink's flow and therefore the print quality. Regular cleaning of the nozzle plate is therefore often conducted. Many of the known techniques for cleaning the nozzle plate involve direct contact between the nozzle plate and a cleaning element such as a cloth or a brush. However, the nozzle plate surface is very delicate and can be easily damaged by excess pressure or abrasion. As a result, cleaning processes that directly contact the nozzle plate risks damaging the nozzle plate and thereby degrading the resulting print quality of the print head.